Sociologists have defined the locations which our lives revolve around.
1st places – where we live, eat, sleep i.e. wherever our bed is.
2nd places – where we work; the office, the cubicle – where we spend most of our days.
Mobile connectivity and the phenomenon of mobile nomadism are both redefining our sense of locations. The Economist defines mobile nomads as (usually young) people who are “always on” – they have permanent connectivity. The proliferation of Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth and iPhones have given birth to these mobile nomads. These twin trends have both created what sociologist Ray Oldenburg called ‘3rd places’ – where we work and yet chill at the same time. These places have certain characteristics: access to beverages, free wireless connectivity, presence of friends and strangers. This mobile nomadism has the potential to completely reshape society in terms of our architecture, our language, our psychology and of course sociological person-to-person interaction. This latter point may be the most critical. Sociologist Mark Granovetter argued that a society requires healthy ‘strong ties’ between relatives and friends. But society also requires strong ‘weak ties’ between casual acquaintances. This connection is important because it is through these weak ties that serve as bridges through which ideas and trends transfer between closely knit groups.
These two trends of wireless connectivity and mobile nomadism have the potential to fundamentally change society as we know it. 3rd places have the advantage of allowing an individual a personalized space while still remaining as part of functional and thriving social community. 1st and 2nd places are not conducive to creative activity. They both lack meaningful social interaction. The modern ‘telecommuter’ lacks any reason to have social interaction just for the sake of interaction. These modern nomads feel that they have everything at their fingertips. They don’t. But these nomads really only have access to information. It takes a person to make information meaningful – i.e. to turn information into knowledge requires some human involvement. Therefore, these mobile nomads have lulled themselves into a false sense of security. Increasingly, nomads have realized the need for places where human interaction can be balanced with an element of human interaction.
So, what can all you mobile nomads take from this? The next time you’re at one of these ‘3rd places’ try reducing the volume on your ipod and try greeting your neighbor. You may be pleasantly surprised.
And that’s jus’ the tip.
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